Due to increasing global connectivity, global biotic interchange has been escalating, leading to species introductions in regions in which they are not indigenous. Most of these species do not establish and/or do not cause significant impacts, but a small proportion do and can have positive or, more often, negative ecological, economic, and cultural impacts. These species often interact with species native to the novel range that are not coevolved or adapted to living with the introduced species. Given the ecological importance of introduced species, this module is intended to introduce students to species interactions (e.g., predation, parasitism, mutualism) and incorporate information on invasive species and how they interact with native species within a novel environment. Suggested activities for the species interactions component of the curriculum are provided and include a lecture crossword puzzle and jigsaw and small writing activities that introduce students to introduced versus invasive species, western and Indigenous perspectives on invasive species, and explore species interactions between introduced and native species, as well as invasive species environmental impacts. An additional lab activity is outlined, which actively engages students in the scientific process by allowing them to develop their own hypotheses and predictions, process and analyze quantitative and qualitative data, interpret and communicate results, develop and interpret a food web, and gather information about an invasive species of interest to them. Questions from this module can be included on a quiz and exam to test students on their knowledge of species interactions and introduced and invasive species.

This resource was developed with support from the National Science Foundation.